Get Out Alive
by BGishBACK
Summary: A secret government ghost-hunting division captures the kids, hoping to lure Phantom into their clutches. But when he doesn't show, they start to suspect something. Will Danny keep his secret hidden? Was originally called: Chase Catch Destroy.
1. Chapter 1

"Sir!" a man ran frantically down the hall, carrying a thick folder and a tape. Sweat beaded on his brow, slowly worming down his cheek. "Sir!" he almost fell, stopping outside the door of the office. "Sir?"

"What is it?" a voice called from inside the office.

"Whew." the man brushed the sweat off his brow and walked in confidently. "Sir, we have a new theory about the Phantom Case." he stared straight ahead at the tall-backed computer chair.

It turned quickly, forcing a tall, buff man to be shown. His angry expression turned into a relieved one. "Ah, Mr. Gendel, how may I help you today?" his hands fell, folded, on the top of his desk.

"Uh-" Mr. Gendel cleared his throat and fought the nervousness building up in his stomach. "We have discovered something new. Concerning…uh…concerning the Phantom Case."

His demeanor changed almost instantly. It was now depicting the annoyance bubbling up into his mind. "Now what is it?"

"We've found who Phantom hangs out with. His 'posse' so to speak." Mr. Gendel shrunk back slightly. He waited a few long seconds for a word before continuing. "Sir, he is usually in contact with Daniel Fenton, Samantha Manson, and Tucker Foley. All students at Casper High School in Amity Park."

The smile on the man's face instantly became a dark and evil one. "Ah, Mr. Gendel, you don't know how long I've waited to hear that." he leaned back comfortably in his chair. "You've done very well."

"What should I do, sir?" Mr. Gendel asked nervously, looking at the man's face rather than in the eyes.

"Send Catherina after the Manson girl. And send Angelica after Tucker Foley." his face was slightly shadowed by the blinds behind him.

"And…Daniel Fenton…sir?"

"Send 'The Ghost Car' after him. His parents are ghost hunters." he cracked his knuckles menacingly. "Going against mommy and daddy is a very bad idea."

"Y-yes s-sir!" Mr. Gendel muttered nervously, hoping his boss wouldn't see how violently he thought he was shaking.

"Excellent." he hissed evilly. "We'll get Phantom yet!"

..oo..00..oo..00..

Danny hung his head as he walked through the rain. Sadness and anger had overwhelmed him, starting one of the worst fights he, Sam, and Tucker have ever weathered. Now, he walked home alone as the rain soaked through his clothes. It made him feel worse.

He stomped through the door, slamming it loudly behind him.

"Danny?" his mom called from the kitchen. "Is that you?"

"Yeah." Danny sighed, wiping his wet hair out of his face. He walked through the front room into the kitchen, shivering. "I'm c-cold, though." he plopped down in a kitchen chair and looked at his mother with sad eyes.

"I can see that." Maddie pulled a towel out from under the sink and draped it gently over Danny's arms. "What's wrong?" she rubbed his shoulder gently.

"Me and Sam…and Tucker had a _huge _fight today!" Danny whimpered, feeling anguish wash over him again.

"Over what, honey?" Maddie asked gently, kissing his wet forehead.

'_Over my ghost half.' _Danny thought, feeling even worse. "Over something that happened in school today."

"Oh." Maddie cooed, gently wiping his bangs out of his face. "Don't worry, hon. It'll get better." she sighed and walked back over to the microwave, making it into some weird ghost-detecting device.

"But we've never fought about anything!" Danny exclaimed anxiously. "Especially about my ghost half." he whispered quietly.

"What was that?" Maddie asked, not totally hearing him.

"About my phone message." Danny lied, standing up from the table and holding the towel around his shoulders.

"Oh…?" Maddie asked, almost totally engrossed in her work.

Danny rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, head hung low. He approached the stairs and stopped, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Then he sighed deeply and walked sadly up the steps, holding onto the rail, almost, it seemed, for dear life.

..oo..00..oo..00..

Sam laid on her bed, knees bent over the foot end of the bed. She stared at the ceiling blankly. Had they really fought about Phantom today? Seriously? Of course it ruins Danny's life. But he also makes Danny different! He makes Danny who he is! They _are _the same person! No matter how much Dan torments him!

She sighed and rolled onto her stomach, pulling her cell out of her pocket in the process. Pressing number "3", which was Tucker's speed dial, she put the phone to her ear and listened to it ring.

"Sam?" the voice on the other side asked.

"Hey Tuck." she giggled sadly. There was a small pause.

"I can't believe I did that to Danny!" they exclaimed into the phone at the same time.

"What?" Tucker asked.

"I feel the same way." Sam sighed. "I can't believe we weren't understanding about Dan."

"I know. I feel like a jerk." Tucker replied. "I mean, he is Danny's worst enemy. I can't believe we didn't support his anger and hurt toward the ghost."

"Yeah." Sam shuddered. "The ghost." a chill ran up her spine when she said those words.

"Poor Danny." Tucker replied, sighing. "Should we call him?"

"I don't know." Sam replied, her eyes half-closed sadly. "I mean, do you think he'd want to talk to us? After all that we did?"

"Uh-" Tucker stopped. "I don't know."

"Darn it, Tucker!" Sam exclaimed angrily. "Why did we do that!" "I don't know, Sam! Relax!" Tucker exclaimed back. "It's not like we had a choice!"

"Oh yeah? We had a choice, Tuck! There's a choice in everything!" Sam exclaimed angrily. "And we chose wrong!"

"I'm calling him, Sam!" Tucker exclaimed through the phone. "He needs us now more than ever! And I'm not letting him suffer! Good-bye!" he pressed the red phone button, hanging up on Sam.

"Tucker?" Sam whispered into the phone. An even tone greeted her. "I just fought with Tucker." she turned the phone off and sat up. "Today is just not my day."

"You got that right." a tall, thin woman floated near the ceiling. "And it's about to get a whole lot worse!" she pulled something out of her pocket and aimed it at Sam. "Good-bye!"

"Wait! What are you-" Sam was cut off by a green light engulfing her. It started to sucker her toward the woman. "What!" she was forced into a dark little room. "Hello?" she yelled into nothingness.

"I got her boss!" Catherina talked into a watch she had on her wrist.

"Good job, Catherina. Now bring her back."

"Will do sir!" she pressed a button on the side of the watch, turning the speaker off. "Let's go, Manson." and she flew out of the room, phasing through the wall before disappearing into the horizon.

..oo..00..oo..00..

Danny laid down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Thoughts raced through his mind in a rush. No sooner had one arrived that another one took its place. Why had they fought today? It's not like he could control Dan! The dumb ghost was doing all he could to destroy his life! Even if he was existing outside of time! He was still in existence!

"BRRINNG!" his phone yelled from his pocket, bringing him out of his thoughts. "BRRINNG! BRRINNG!"

Danny pulled it out of his pocket and examined the name on the front. "Tucker?" he whispered, flipping the flip phone's lid up and putting the phone up to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey Danny." Tucker said sadly. He paused for a minute. "I'm sorry about what happened today."

Danny remained silent as he sat up on the edge of his bed.

"Sam is, too. We talked just before I called you. We both regret it, Danny." Tucker sighed into the phone. "We shouldn't've doubted you."

Danny kept listening intently, feeling nervous.

"Are you there?"

"…Yeah." Danny paused slightly before answering. "It's partially my fault, too." he rubbed the back of his neck roughly. "I shouldn't've freaked out over nothing today."

"Dude, you have every right to freak out. Especially about Dan." Tucker replied with a dead-serious voice.

There was silence that followed. Danny didn't know what to say back, so he just stayed quiet. Tucker faced the same dilemma, so he sat at his computer, breathing lightly.

"Tucker?"

"Danny?" they asked at the same time.

"Heheheh." they laughed weakly at the same time.

"Oh, Tuck…" Danny sighed loudly. "All of us need to get together. And…and talk this out."

"I know." Tucker sighed. "Tonight might be-" he stopped, looking behind him anxiously. "Who are you?"

"I'm you're worst nightmare!" a voice replied loudly on Tucker's side of the phone.

"Tucker? Are you ok?" Danny called loudly into the phone. "Tucker!"

"No! Please!" Tucker called. Danny heard a booming noise, then more cries. "PLEASE!"

"Tucker!" Danny called loudly into the phone. An even tone greeted his ear. "TUCKER!" he pulled the phone from his ear and eyed the screen. "NO!" he jumped off his bed and ran to the window, turning into Danny Phantom as he rushed through it.

He pushed through the sky at increasing speeds, flying frantically to Tucker's house. When he arrived, the house appeared normal. Lights were on, the building was intact, and there were cars in the driveway. But something had to be wrong.

Danny flew to Tucker's window and peered inside. The room seemed normal, except for the computer. The webcam was blasted off the top, and the screen was destroyed. The light swayed gently, as though the window was open. But it wasn't.

Danny's ghost sense escaped his lips and he turned, glaring all through the sky, trying to spot the ghost that set it off. But instead of seeing a ghost, he saw the road, normally congested with two or three cars. He sighed it off and flew down to the sidewalk, landing gently. He turned back into Danny Fenton quickly, then walked out into the street.

"BEEP BEEP!" a car horn blared angrily.

"Ah! Sorry!" Danny waved to the car and jumped back onto the sidewalk.

He hung his head and walked slowly on the wet sidewalk. Sunset's light trickled down on his shoulders, warming them comfortably. A small noise caught the tip of Danny's ear, and he stopped. He lifted his head up and glanced out of the corner of his eye, expecting to see a ghost. But there was nothing there, so he kept walking.

His pace became quicker as a chilling feeling wormed through his body. He was forced to stop at a stop sign, since the traffic was flying through. But he glanced over his shoulder, and everything vanished. The road became instantly empty, all except for him and a car.

The car was just a small one. A small Ford Fusion, but it was pitch-black and looked like it belonged to the government. But if it belonged to the government, then where did everybody go…?

Danny turned and faced the car, feeling his adrenaline rush. He desperately wanted to turn into Phantom, but he refused to. His eyes were glued to the car, looking it over, trying to find any clue to who was controlling it. Was that a camera glaring back at him? Someone's eye?

He swallowed his fear and yelled "What do you want with me!"

There was no verbal response. Instead, the car began driving towards him. Slowly at first, but gathering so much speed in a single instant that it seemed to appear five feet away from Danny.

"AH!" Danny turned intangible almost without thinking, appearing on the other side of the car instantaneously.

The car turned around and raced towards him again, as though it didn't comprehend what had just happened.

Danny, his back still facing the car, jumped high into the air, did a back flip, and landed on both feet quickly, staring at the car. He raised an eyebrow confidently.

The camera on the car was facing him dead on. The wheels squeaked as the rubbed against the asphalt. It beeped as it rushed at him, this time losing all it's energy several feet from Danny's body.

"Ha! I win!" Danny smiled triumphantly, arms crossed. "What!" he turned and started walking up the sidewalk again. But before he got three feet ahead, a purple light suctioned around him, pulling him back. He tried to shove his way through it, but the hold on him only tightened. The last thing he saw was a small opening at the top of a dark room, closing on him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews so far, guys! I hope you like it!**

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><p>Two ghosts and two men stood together in a dark room. One ghost was holding Tucker, the other Sam. Both kids were bound so tightly, they were like presents. Two men held on to Danny, holding him by both arms. He had struggled out of the wrapping, but not out of their grip. They had him forced down on his knees, both of their hands forcing his shoulders down. Every time he tried to move, they dug their fingers into the tops of his shoulders, causing excruciating pain.<p>

They had been waiting for several minutes before a door slam echoed through the room. There was a hissing noise as someone's feet scraped against the floor. In a moment, he showed himself. "You know what to do." the man said to the ghosts and men.

They nodded in unison and shoved a pill into Danny's, Sam's, and Tucker's mouth.

"Swallow it, freaks." the man hissed.

Danny resisted opening his mouth. But the men holding him got it open and practically shoved the pill down his throat. He joined Sam and Tucker in gagging and sputtering. "Uh." he stuck his tongue out and sucked in several deep breaths.

"Good." the man smiled and stared at them. "Drop Manson and Foley. They ain't goin' anywhere."

The ghosts laughed lightly and dropped the two teens on the ground. A muffled cry of pain escaped Sam's bound mouth. And Tucker just started shaking his head.

Danny looked at the man nervously. "You've choked us and captured us. But why?"

"Just give it a minute. The pill will do it's magic. Then you'll see." the man smiled evilly at him.

"Wait a second-" Danny stopped as the pill took hold. When he looked at the man again, he saw Dan. "DAN!" fear felt like ice water, trickling through his veins and making his stomach knot itself. He became choked as he realized what was happening.

"You got that right Fenton." Dan looked down at him. "I told you I'd come back someday. I've been whispering it in your dreams for weeks! And now, you are mine."

"What do you want with us?" Danny asked, fear and anger laced into his voice.

"I want Phantom, obviously. And you need to bring him to me." Dan smiled evilly at him. "He's always around you three. So I need him."

"But you know-" Danny stopped. Of course Dan would do something like that! He was partially Vlad! "So what? I can't bring you Phantom!"

"Oh, but you'll have to." he grabbed Danny by the collar and held him in the air, three inches from his face. Smiling evilly, he sent a blue electrical wave through Danny's body.

"AHH!" Danny screamed out in pain, gripping Dan's wrist for dear life.

"And you'll have to do it without help." Dan threw Danny onto the ground.

"What…did you do?" Danny asked, looking up at Dan from the floor. He propped himself up on his elbows, but it was hard to move anything else.

"You've just been disabled." Dan laughed evilly. "Bring me Phantom in three days. Or else you'll never see these two again." he pointed to Sam and Tucker.

Sam hung her head, hiding the tears in her eyes. Tucker kept staring at Dan, tears racing down his cheeks.

"You wouldn't!" Danny hissed, fear and anger taking control over his voice.

"I've done it before. What makes you think I won't do it again?" Dan leaned down and glared at him. "And the best part about all this," he stood up straight and started walking slowly around Danny. "…is that no one knows what's happening. What I am. What you are. And no one knows these kids' fate better than me."

Danny pushed himself up farther with some difficulty. He managed to get on his knees.

"If you want to see them alive again, boy. Run for your life." Dan picked him up by the arm and tossed him farther into the dark room. "Run for your life. If you don't survive, you'll never find Phantom. And if you never find Phantom, these two will never be found!" he laughed evilly as he watched Danny disappear into nothingness.

Danny ran as quickly as he could, looking for any way to get out. A tear rushed down his cheek. Anger and fear soon overwhelmed him in the form of a fall. He landed face-first on the cold, hard floor beneath him. Dan's voice echoed through the room.

"Run for your life..."

"I've done it before…"

"…never see these two again…"

Danny shuddered and pulled himself into a giant ball. He began rocking, trying to comfort himself. He had to find phantom! But he was phantom! What did Dan mean by 'disabled'?

"Time's up, little cookie." a ghost appeared in front of him, a small gun in its hands. "My turn."

"No!"

Bang!

..oo..00..oo..00..

Vrooom! A car raced past on the highway. Danny's eyes twitched lightly.

MEEP! A car honked it's horn loudly. Danny shook his head in his sleep.

Two more cars raced past, blowing wind and little bits of water onto Danny's body.

"Hmm?" Danny opened his eye lightly. The early afternoon sun shone down brightly on him, forcing him to close his eye again. In a few seconds, it burst open, accompanied by the second one. "Wha-?" he stretched and pulled himself into a sitting position. "Where am I?" he looked around, not recognizing where he was for a second. He was on the sidewalk outside of the high school. "How did I…?" in a second, it all came rushing back. Everything that had just happened to them. To him.

He shuddered as he stood up, pain coursing through his legs and back. The word 'disabled' hit him like a rock, causing the pain in his lower body to force its way into his head. What did Dan mean by disabled? He could walk!

"Oh no…" Danny realized what it meant. "It can't be!" he threw his arms into the air "I'm goin' ghost!" nothing happened. "I said: goin' ghost!" still nothing. He pulled his arms down and stared at his palms. "No! No no no no no!" he hugged himself as tears started worming out of his eyes. "No." he whispered, shaking. "No."


	3. Chapter 3

**Say hello to another _very _long chapter! :) Thanks for the reviews so far!**

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><p><em>Now what? <em>Danny asked himself, walking towards home. _What do I do? I can't tell mom or dad about this. They'll freak, and if they knew I was part ghost…_ he shivered and looked up the steps to his home.

"Uh…mom?" he pushed the door open to discover an empty house. "Mom? Dad? Jazz? Anyone home?" a small note fluttered in front of him, laying on the rug in front of him. "Oh no…" he picked it up and began reading it. "'I've got our parents, Danny boy! Tomorrow, it'll be Jazz and Sam's parents. Then Tucker's the day after! You better find yourself before I kill them all! And, of course, blame you!'" Danny read aloud. Sweat formed on his brow as fear froze him where he stood. His palms became clammy and sweaty, shaking nervously. "It can't be…" he didn't believe it.

"Mom! Dad!" he dropped the note and ran through the house, calling desperately for anyone. "Please!" he called in their room. He called in Jazz's room. He called in the lab. No one was anywhere!

"No!" he crouched down in his room and hugged his stomach again, feeling tears flow from his eyes. Anger started fueling his tears, causing his stomach to churn. "No." he stood up, eyes blazing green. "I will not lose." he wiped every last tear from his cheek. "And I know who will help me."

..oo..00..oo..00..

"Ding dong! Ding dong!" Danny pressed the doorbell button lightly.

"I'm coming!" a harsh voice exclaimed from the other side. In a few seconds, the door opened fully, exposing a tall man with white hair and a thin body. "Daniel?" he questioned staring at the boy curiously.

"Vlad…" Danny put on his saddest face. "I need your help."

"And just why do you think I would help you, hm?" Vlad asked, leaning on the left door pane.

"Because, it's about Dan." Danny replied, looking at him hopefully.

Vlad raised his eyebrows nervously. "You don't mean-?"

"He's got my friends. And my parents." Danny thought Vlad was about to crack, so he added "He's got Maddie."

"Maddie…?" Vlad whispered nervously.

"Yes." Danny nodded. "Vlad, I have three days to turn myself into a ghost-hunting government program." he dug his hands deep into his pockets.

"Well why don't you-"

"I can't." Danny hung his head. "Dan short-circuited my powers. I can't access them. At all."

"Oh no! Daniel, you'll lose-"

"Everything. I know." Danny sighed and looked up at him. "And I can't let that happen. History will repeat itself. And I can't be the cause of destruction again!" Danny looked Vlad right in the eye. "I won't!"

Vlad looked down at him sadly. "I would love to help Daniel. But I have nothing that could help you!"

"Ah! Don't tell me that!" Danny threw his hands in the air. "You have billions of dollars! There must be some way to get things done!"

"I know, child! But what could I possibly…" he stopped, realizing what he could do. "I know what we can do. But I can't promise history won't repeat itself."

"You don't mean…"

"The Ghost Gauntlets. Yes." Vlad nodded. "I do have those."

Danny sighed and shrugged. "I will. But you have to keep me awake."

"But it'll be excruciating!" Vlad exclaimed nervously.

"I don't care!" Danny crossed his arms. "The future will not repeat itself! I can't let it. I won't." he looked at the sky for a moment. "You will take Phantom out. Then, when you put him back, I should be able to access him. Whatever cage Dan has put around him, it will be broken. I know it."

Vlad sighed and nodded solemnly. "Then follow me, dear boy. And ready yourself in the process."

Danny shivered as he entered the house. But he kept a straight face. There was no way out of what he was about to do. Even if he wanted out.

Vlad led him through the large house, taking him through long hallways and down a flight of stairs before they got to the library, where he pulled the football trophy down and exposed a door to his lab. "Go ahead." Vlad said, allowing Danny to go first.

"Ok." Danny replied quietly, feeling sick to his stomach. He walked ahead of the older man quickly, now anxious to get it over with.

"Here we are." Vlad said, a light switching on as soon as Danny stepped on the lab floor.

"Beautiful." Danny said shortly. "Now, let's just get this over with."

"Ok." Vlad put a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder before walking across the room. "This gurney can get the job done." he patted a long metal one. "It has straps to hold you down…" his voice trailed off and his head hung slightly. "You don't have to do this, Daniel."

"I will not be the cause of everyone's suffering." Danny walked across the room and sat down on the gurney. "Let's get this over with."

"Lay down, Daniel." Vlad instructed, pain in his voice. "Please?"

Danny slunk down on the metal gurney, stretching his arms and legs out so he filled the entire width of the gurney. Then he nodded at Vlad and closed his eyes.

Vlad sighed and walked around the gurney, strapping Danny's wrists and ankles down to it. "They don't hurt, do they son?" he asked gently, rubbing one of Danny's ankles before tying it down.

"No." Danny whispered nervously. "They're fine."

"There's just one more place I need to tie you down…" Vlad walked around the gurney to Danny's stomach, then belted him down right across the boy's belly button. "It's not-?"

"No." Danny shook his head, fighting tears. "I'm fine."

"Ok." Vlad walked away from the table, his thoughts racing.

"I can do this." Danny whispered to himself, watching Vlad. The old man had walked into a closet for a moment to dress himself in the proper wear for the procedure. "Stay calm."

Vlad emerged from the closet wearing a white hair protector, mask, doctor's scrubs, and apron. He also had the metallic gloves on his hands. "Ok, Daniel." he said as he walked back over to the boy. "Are you ready?" he stuck his clawed, gloved hands out above Danny's chest cavity.

Danny nodded and closed his eyes, looking away.

"Ok." Vlad took in a deep breath and shoved his hands into Danny's chest, grabbing Phantom through the chest as well.

"AAAHHH!" Danny screamed, eyes flying open. He screamed in agony as Vlad slowly pulled Phantom out, trying not to lose his grip. Danny's whole body shook in pain as he watched his ghost half being pulled out of him. His face turned bright red, and tears slid down both his cheeks in a flood, clouding his vision.

"I'm sorry. Truly, I am!" Vlad called over Danny's screams, pulling Phantom completely out. "Hello." Vlad pulled the ghost over beside him, still holding onto him with both gloved hands.

Phantom cried in pain as he looked down at Vlad, anger in his eyes.

"Stop!" Danny cried, looking at his ghost half several feet away from Vlad. "Let me up!" his whole body was on fire, vibrating in agony.

Phantom hissed at Vlad as the older man put him in a ghost-proof container, holding the ghost captive.

Phantom hissed and scratched at the door, trying to get out.

"Stop it, Daniel!" Vlad yelled to the ghost behind him.

"Who's gonna make me, freak!" Phantom called from inside the container, punching it now.

Vlad shook his head and started to untie Danny. In a few moments, his work was done, and Danny was sitting up on the gurney, curled up in a fetal position and gripping his stomach in pain. "Ohhhh." he moaned, tears rolling out his forcefully closed eyes.

"I'm sorry Daniel." Vlad hung his head. "But you must walk over to Phantom."

Danny groaned and shook his head. "I…can't…move…" he said through tightly clenched lips.

Vlad nodded knowingly. "Ok." Vlad reached around the boy and picked him up. "Then I'll take you to him." he carried him over to the captive ghost and laid Danny on the floor gently. "Phantom, I need you to reunite with Daniel. Can you do it?"

He looked down at the painful little creature moaning on the floor. "Why would I want to go back in that body? I'm free!"

"P-p-please!" Danny stuttered, opening his eyes into slits. "I-I c-c-can't-t l-live without-t y-you!"

"Oh, you'll find a way." Phantom mumbled, glaring at Danny. "I'm sure of it."

"Have you no mercy, child! Here you float in your own cage, trapped forever unless you free your body from the pain!" Vlad exclaimed angrily, waving his arms around slightly in the process. "This is you! You can't just abandon him!"

"Oh I can't?" Phantom pressed his face against the glass. "What about all the times he's abandoned me? Hm? How he always lies about me! I want to belong in this world, too!"

Vlad's jaw dropped. _Is my ghost feeling the same way? _he wondered privately. "You either get back in that body, or allow Dan to rule once again. Which would you prefer, hm?" Vlad shot back, his arms crossed. He hoped Phantom had the same feeling about the evil ghost as Danny did.

Phantom floated quietly for a minute, a thoughtful look on his face. "I've got a deal for you, Vlad." Phantom hissed, glaring down at Danny. "I will go back into that body, but you must promise me that I will not be lied about anymore!" he glared down at Danny. "That goes for you, too! Stop lying about me, or I'm not goin' back!"

"And how do you expect he do that? Just blurt to the world he's part ghost? Let the Guys in White get him?" Vlad shot back. "Think before you demand, child!"

"That's not…I mean, it can't…" Phantom stuttered. "Huh." he sat down in the container and rested his chin thoughtfully on his arm. "I'm tired of living a lie." he said sadly, playing with the toe of his boot.

"Lies are but an illusion." Vlad sighed. "Take it from someone who knows."

"They feel so real, though!" Phantom called back. "I just…want to be free."

"I'm sure Daniel does to." Vlad crouched down on both knees and put a soft hand on Danny's side. He could feel the shallow breathing and the painful shaking that was plaguing the boy. "Please, Phantom. Join your human."

Danny opened his eye for a minute, feeling the warm hand on his side. Vlad was looking at his ghost half anxiously, but comforting Danny all the same. When the old man looked back down, Danny quickly closed his eye again. It was shocking, realizing your worst enemy had a heart.

"Fine. Put him in here with me." Phantom stood up and floated to the top of the container. He put both hands on the top, making him appear to be holding on to the ceiling of the container.

"Ok. But just so you don't try anything…" Vlad stood up slowly and pressed a code into a keyboard beside the container, turning the Ghost Shield on. "There. You're stuck in there now."

"I wasn't going to try to get out." Phantom mumbled, glaring down at Vlad.

"To bad." Vlad picked Danny up.

"Ohh." a small moan escaped Danny's lips. "Oww…"

"Shh. It's ok." Vlad laid Danny down on the floor of the container gently. Then he closed the door.

"Vlad?" Danny whispered, looking out the glass door nervously.

"You'll be ok, Daniel. I promise."

"Hello, Fenton." Phantom hissed from where he was. "How are you?"

"I've been better." Danny replied, forcing himself to get into a sitting position. "How about you?"

"Eh. I'd say this is the high point of our afterlife." Phantom replied, shrugging.

"Why?" Danny asked, rubbing his sore shoulder.

"Because I'm free." Phantom smiled down at him.

"But you won't be for long." Danny replied, looking up at Phantom.

"I know. I just wanted to make something clear before I go back."

"What's that?" Danny asked, squinting at the light above him.

"That I'm sick of the lies. I want to be free." Phantom replied, floating down and sitting beside Danny.

"I know. That would be amazing." Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "But…"

"Mom and Dad. I know. But being trapped in your soul has given me time to rethink some things. Mom and Dad will love us for who we are. They will accept us! Danny, if we join back together, we have to tell them!" Phantom looked him straight in the eye, a large smile on his face.

"I can't do it, Phantom! You know what's going on with Dan right now! Who knows what lies he's already told them!" Danny fought back.

The smile melted off of Phantom's face in an instant. "But we will tell them, right?"

"I don't know, Phantom." Danny leaned his head against the wall behind him. "It all depends."

"I know." Phantom copied Danny, leaning his head against the wall behind them. "Let's get this over with."

"So, that's it?" Danny asked, looking at Phantom. "You don't have anything else to say? You're ready to go back?"

"Yeah. I know how to access your thoughts. We can always stay in touch, even when your using me to fight some stupid ghost." Phantom smiled and stood up. Danny started to move but was stopped by Phantom. "Don't. Just lay there. I don't know how our body will react to reattachment."

"Ok." Danny sighed and slid down into a comfortable position on the bottom of the container. "Go ahead."

Phantom sighed and jumped feet-first into Danny's chest. Green light exploded from Danny's body. The impact of the ghost re-entering his soul forced him into a bolt-upright sitting position. His mouth hung open as his eyes flooded with neon green color. The pain that had been flooding his body was now stopping, as the thing that was ripped so harshly from his soul was now being replaced, acting like a bandage.

Vlad gasped as Danny stood up. The boy looked up at him happily, a huge grin on his face. "I'm ok!"

Vlad smiled and took the ghost shield down, allowing Danny to step outside of its bounds. "You did it, child! Now 'go ghost', or whatever it is you call it!"

"Ok." Danny got a big smile on his face. He threw his hands in the air and yelled "I'm goin' ghost!"

Two blue rings formed around his center, traveling up and down the length of his body. A black hazmat suit appeared under the rings, and soon so did a white belt, DP logo, boots, and hair. He pulled his hands down and looked at his gloved palms. "I did it! I'm normal again!"

"Good job, Daniel." Vlad walked over to him, arms crossed behind his back.

"Thanks Vlad." Danny looked up at him happily. "I can't believe it was that simple."

"All that pain…simple?" Vlad asked, putting a comforting hand on Danny's shoulder.

"It was worth it. I'm Phantom again, and I can stop Dan." Danny phased through Vlad's hand and floated above him. He reached his hand out to Vlad. Vlad's eyes lit up as he took it. "Thank you, sir."

Vlad smiled, thinking he could do something evil and ruin the moment, but he decided better of it. "You're welcome, Daniel." well, almost. He gripped the boy's hand and tried to throw him on the ground.

Danny phased through the grip and started laughing. "Ha! Beat that!" then he paused and thought about what he said. "…on Monday!"

"Heh, I'll be waiting." Vlad smiled, his fangs showing.

"You know it." Danny smiled and waved, taking off through the ceiling of the lab.

Vlad shook his head. "Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. Little do you realize, I hate Dan as much as you do. The only reason I helped was to stop the future turmoil!" he smiled and walked calmly out of the room, acting like everything they had just gone through hadn't happened at all.


End file.
